1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to knife and ballistic projectile penetration resistant articles and, more specifically, to spike, knife and ballistic projectile penetration resistant articles.
2. Description of Related Art
Police, correctional officers, security personnel, and even private individuals have a growing need for simultaneous protection from multiple types of penetration threats, including spike, knife and ballistic threats, in a single protective garment.
Body armor material is known for resisting penetration by multiple threats including knives. GB 2304350A and WO 01/37691A1 disclose material designed to protect against knife and ballistic threats. U.S. Pat. No. 6,133,169 discloses a knife, ice pick and ballistic penetration resistant structure comprising a metallic chain mail, tightly woven fabric layers and high tenacity ballistic resistant layers.
Known materials that protect against knife threats typically have (1) flexible metallic plates or metallic chain mails (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,472,769 and 6,133,169) or (2) laminated or coated fabrics (e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,022,601, 5,880,042, GB 2304350A, WO 00/08411, and WO 01/37691A1). However, the flexible metallic components tend to increase the weight of vests and are difficult to be cut into irregular shapes to fit the body. Further, materials with laminated or coated fabrics are rigid, inflexible, and uncomfortable when incorporated in an article to be worn.
Further, merely combining separate materials, each known to protect against one threat, with other material(s) known to protect against other threat(s) does not usually provide a flexible light weight structure comfortable for body wear with adequate protection against multiple threats.
It is an object of this invention to provide a flexible light weight structure that resists penetration by ballistic projectiles and knives. It is a further object to provide a flexible light weight structure that resists penetration by ballistic, knives and spike-like threats
These and other objects of the invention will be clear from the following description.
The invention relates to knife and ballistic projectile penetration resistant articles, comprising, in order, a first plurality of layers of fabric made of fibers; a second plurality of layers of fabric made of fibers, each of the layers being substantially surrounded and substantially impregnated by a corresponding polymeric matrix comprising a thermoset resin, a thermoplastic resin, or mixtures thereof; and a third plurality of layers of woven fabric made of fibers. The fibers of the first, second and third plurality of layers have a tenacity of at least 10 grams per dtex. Further, the first, second and third plurality of layers combined have an areal density of no more than 6.9 kilograms per square meter.
The invention is further directed to spike, knife and ballistic projectile penetration resistant articles, comprising, in order, a first plurality of layers of fabric made of fibers; a second plurality of layers of fabric made of fibers, each of the fabric layers being substantially surrounded and substantially impregnated with a corresponding polymeric matrix comprising a thermoset resin, a thermoplastic resin, or mixtures thereof; and a third plurality of layers of woven fabric made of fibers; and a fourth plurality of layers of tightly woven penetration resistant fabric made of fibers. The tightly woven fabric has a fabric tightness factor of at least 0.75. The fibers of the first, second, third and fourth plurality of layers have a tenacity of at least 10 grams per dtex. Further, the first, second, third, and fourth plurality of layers combined have an areal density of no more than 7.8 kilograms per square meter.